SLS Las Vegas Debuts with Iggy Azalea, Lenny Kravitz

The $415 million renovation of the former Sahara was unveiled Friday night when SLS Las Vegas opened its doors to welcome the public back to the north end of the Las Vegas Strip.  A fully-integrated, entertainment-driven resort and casino with more than 1,600 guest rooms and suites, SLS Las Vegas features a curated collection of hospitality industry trendsetter sbe’s most beloved brands, refined and reinvigorated for Las Vegas as well as original concepts all set in an atmosphere that’s both dynamic and approachable.

“This is the beginning of a new era for The Strip,” said Sam Nazarian, founder, chairman and CEO of sbe. “We are thrilled to throw open our doors and show the world what we’ve been working on for the past several years. It feels good to be back in the former Sahara space, and we look forward to creating new, legendary memories as SLS Las Vegas.”

SLS is high-style collaboration between Nazarian, James Beard award-winning chef José Andrés and design visionary Phillippe Starck in collaboration with globally acclaimed architectural firm Gensler. Highlights of the property include Andres’ Bazaar Meat, a twist on his hugely popular concept Bazaar; the second location of The Sayers Club, one of Los Angeles’ best-loved live music venues; celebrated restaurants Katsuya by Starck, Umami Burger, Beer Garden & Sports Book, Cleo and The Griddle Cafe; an exclusive partnership with retailer Fred Segal and The Strip’s most exhilarating nightclub, the 20,000 square-foot LiFE, a venue designed, with sbe’s myriad years creating superior nightlife venues, to maximize the club-going experience.

The resort celebrated its opening with a star-studded preview party with guests including, actors Aaron Paul, Emile Hirsch and Kellan Lutz, model Dita Von Teese, UFC star Chuck Liddell, and actress Brittany Snow. Partygoers enjoyed tastes of the resort’s food and beverage offerings and live performances from rock legend Lenny Kravitz, who designed a handful of the resort’s top tier suites, and rising star artists including Iggy Azalea, Rita Ora, JoJo and Jhené Aiko. As the clock struck midnight, amid a dazzling display of fireworks, the SLS team led by Sam Nazarian officially cut the ribbon and escorted the first guests to the gaming floor.

“This is a very exciting day for us,” Nazarian said. “SLS Las Vegas is the embodiment of a dream that began seven years ago when we purchased the Sahara. To see this legendary property come back to life in the vision that we created all those years ago is nothing short of incredible and I am grateful for all of our visionary partners and the incredible community support we have received during this transformation. We invite everyone to be legendary and join us at SLS Las Vegas.”

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